Waiting For A Friend
by TheDarkestHours
Summary: It's been a couple of tough months for Teddy and she feels more emotional and in need of someone than ever. She finds that someone in whom least she expects it, Tom Koracick. However Owen is not very happy with the idea. TWO SHOT. Teddy&Tom friendship. A little of Towen fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, here I am with another fic. It was impossible not to write anything after having seen the photos of Teddy/Kim with that adorable baby bump. She looks so beautiful that I can't wait to see her on screen.**

 **Meanwhile I decided to write this little two shot.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **A/N:** **I'm working in an AU where Teddy decides not to tell Owen about the baby (because of a misunderstanding) and stays in Germany but as always with these two, fate brings them together eventually. But I don't know if any of you want to read it,** **I have a lot of progress, around 10 thousand words (without division in chapters) but I still don't know whether to publish it or not.**

* * *

 _ **Waiting for a Friend **_

* * *

It's 8:00 AM and my day is already a disaster. It had been a hell of a night. Of my four surgeries only 1 had managed to make it to the recovery room. Throughout the night I had been quite emotional. The knot in my throat, the itch on my nose, the meltdown about to explode. I was an emotional case and my hormones and lack of sleep did nothing to help my situation. I wanted to go home, hide under the blankets and cry or sleep, whatever happened first.

To make things worse I see Owen when I go out of the scrub room. Since I told him about the baby our relationship had been quite awkward. We were friendly, he went to each and every one of the medical checkups, whether there was an ultrasound or not, he was always there and for that I was grateful. Every morning I woke up with messages asking how I was, how I had slept, if I needed anything, or if Allison was kicking with the monkey emoji covering its mouth. What? Owen using emojis? Whatever, it was uncomfortable. It made me sad that the one who was once my best friend and confidant now made me feel uncomfortable.

I pretend I didn't see him and kept walking towards the nearest on-call room. I need to crash and I have no energy to drive home.

"Hey, Teddy!" I hear him call me. Oh crap.

I turn and pretend surprise. "Owen! What are you doing here still?"

"I just got out of surgery". Silence.

"Well, I don't keep you anymore, sure you have to go pick up Leo at Meredith's. Bye Owen". And I keep walking.

"Teddy, wait!" I turn to him, rolling my eyes internally. I'm not in the mood to stand him. I just want to sleep. Cry and sleep. "How are you?"

"Fine". I answer unconcerned and shrugging slightly with my hands tucked into the pockets of my scrubs. He looks at me frowning questioningly. He knows me too well to know that I'm not well.

I sigh. "I'm tired, that's all. I lost 3 of my 4 patients, it hasn't been a good night".

"I'm so sorry. You want to talk about it?"

"No thanks. I'm really good. You know that these things always happen".

"Yeah, I know".

Silence again. I look around, for some reason I can't look into his eyes, I know that if I do maybe my repressed meltdown will explode right here in front of him and that's the least I want.

"So, I was thinking… if you what to go out for dinner tonight?" I look at him in surprise. "Tomorrow is our day off and our shifts are about to end... maybe we can go do some baby shopping".

"I... I confirm you during the day? I'm really tired, I just want to sleep". I see how his expression changes, I don't know if it's pain or disappointment, maybe both, he just nods almost imperceptible with a weak and tense smile. "Your daughter is really taking all my energy". I add in an attempt to not make the situation so uncomfortable.

Apparently it works because his tense smile relaxes and grows widely. He places his hand on the side of my belly, rubbing his thumb gently. "She's already awake and kicking up a storm".

"Yeah". I mumble, joining my hand to his as I feel Allison move inside me, but as soon as he looks into my eyes I take off my hand, but his hand remains there.

The way he looks at me... I'm so tired and my head is a mess that I can't decipher his look and I don't want to interpret this wrong. "Ok, I won't keep you anymore, go rest!"

I give him one last shy smile and turn around to go to the on-call room. Once there I close the door and I lean against it sighing deeply and shakily. Now that I'm finally alone my emotions are beginning to emerge. I lock the door, I don't want anyone to come in and see me. I sit on the bottom bunk and just like that, everything unravels inside me and I lie on the bed in a ball crying a river. I can't even place the exact reason why I cry. I cry for the night of hell I had? For my dead patients? Because of my situation with Owen? Fatigue? Or is it just hormones? Maybe an accumulation of everything. I cry for what seem like hours and Allison seems to feel my anguish because she doesn't stop moving and kicking. Eventually the fatigue overcomes me and in the midst of sobs I fell deeply asleep.

I wake up with a start, for a moment in the confusion of my sudden awakening I don't know where I am, the lamp in the room is on but I don't remember leaving it that way. I prop up on my elbow and I see a person sitting on the other bed. It's Tom Koracick. He had been working on a project and in Catherine's case in the last couple of months so he was seen quite often around the hospital. I wouldn't say we are friends, we are friendly, he himself is a friendly person so it isn't difficult to be kind and friendly with him.

At first he tried to hit on me but I rejected him politely and he didn't make any other aproach, on the contrary, he apologized and offered his pure and sincere friendship, much more when he found out that I was pregnant. I had been a little reluctant to accept it, I didn't know him very well but I wasn't giving myself the opportunity to get to know him deeply, on more than one occasion Owen had made a couple of comments about my " _friendship_ ", if that is how it could be called, with him and he didn't use his best words or his most pleasant tone of voice. Maybe deep down I was refusing to open myself completely to him to avoid unnecessary problems with Owen, he had been annoyingly overprotective and questioned everything I did or said or didn't do or say, so it was better to avoid those arguments with him.

But what is he doing here? I locked the door.

"Oh hey, you're awake!" He tells in a lively voice, as always, as he closes his book and takes off his glasses.

"What are you doing here? I locked the door". I say to him, still sleepy and with a hoarse voice.

"Yes, only you forgot to verify that the room was empty. I was sleeping on the top bunk when you came in locking the door behind you".

"Oh crap". I mumble through clenched teeth.

"Do you feel better?"

"I'm excellent! Why the question?" I ask trying to sound as calm and carefree as possible while I sit on the bed. As if a few hours ago I wouldn't have been crying my eyes out.

"You are a terrible liar, Altman".

"How do you know that?"

"Because I've been watching you these months, I've been learning to read you. Even if you don't really believe it, I want to be your friend. You're a great surgeon, you're nice and involuntarily funny".

I can't help chuckling at the last. "I'd say I'm clumsy".

"You're funny, Altman." He makes me smile. Maybe I should start giving me the chance to truly be her friend.

"Not much lately." I say looking at my hands in my lap.

"What the hell does he have?!"

"What?"

"What the hell does that ginger have that has you and Amelia, specially you, moping around the corners of the hospital?"

"Is Amelia suffering?" I ask worried.

"No, she's fine. Betty is taking all her time. But that's not the point, the point is that I can see that you're a wonderful woman and you're letting yourself be wilted by that stuck up ginger".

"It's not easy Tom, I'm expecting his daughter".

"And? You also have a life. Go out with other people, go to places, breathe another air that isn't tainted by Hunt. You live between the hospital and your house, you can't continue like this. Soon your daughter will be born and you will have even less time for yourself".

I smile sympathetically. He is right, I should take more care of myself, go out with other people, but with whom? My only " _friends_ " in this hospital are Miranda and Richard and I don't think they have time to hang out with a boring pregnant woman. "Who would want to go out with me? Meredith and Pierce are faithful to Amelia, I don't know Jo very well, I don't think Miranda has time to hang out... "

"Oh, thank you very much for counting me among the candidates". He answers me and I can see that he is faking offense, I can't help laughing softly.

"I didn't know you wanted to hang out with me".

"Of course I want! I meant it when I said I want to be your friend, really. You are a funny, intelligent and interesting woman. Also, imagine going back to Hopkis saying that I'm the friend of the former head of MedCom". He makes me laugh again. It is easy to laugh with him, everything that comes out of his mouth has this sarcastic and irreverent undertone, but without offense. I start to like this; he makes me feel good. Accepted. Accepted in a place where Amelia and I roam the same corridors and whispers are directed to me as I go.

"We can go out today if you want". I say timidly. "Or if you can't today tomorrow, tomorrow is my day off".

"I can today... and tomorrow. The truth is that I can when you want. The advantage of not working here officially is that I have my own schedules".

"Cool". I answer and I really feel happy. "By the way, what time is it?"

"2:15 pm"

"What?! Were you locked here all the time? Do you know you could go out?"

"Oh and I did! I'm not a fan of starving myself to death".

"And you came back?"

"Yes, I wanted a quiet place to read, you were asleep and you locked the door, this was the perfect place... besides, I wanted to make sure you were okay".

I smile shyly. "Thank you. I'm fine... it's just that, I had a horrible night and you know, hormones".

"Oh yes hormones, they can turn people into real monsters".

"Hey!" I spat back pretending offended, but with a smile on my lips.

"So where do you want to go?"

"I don't know, but first to eat, I'm starving".

"Meanwhile, take this". He gives me a sandwich and an apple juice box. "I think I know where I'll take you".

"Oh yeah?"

"Since when you don't have a manicure and pedicure?"

I laugh out loud. "What? You will not take me to a nail salon, will you?"

"What's wrong with it? I need some pampering too".

"Ok". I say without being able to control the huge smile on my lips. "But first to eat".

"Oh yes, first to eat" …

* * *

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	2. Chapter 2

After lunch Tom took me to this chic nail salon where we were greeted with champagne for him and lemonade for me. As soon as I sit on the huge armchair and sink to the bottom putting myself comfortable, I know that this would be paradise. The pedicurist first massages my feet up to my calves and to then go to the pedicure, while another girl does my manicure.

"Oh my God Tom, I didn't know how much I needed this until today". I say with my head leaning on the backrest of the armchair with my eyes closed, enjoying the incredible massage that the girl is giving me in my swollen and tired feet. "Thank you".

"Don't thank me anything. I needed this too". He answers me moaning softly while the girl massages his feet.

Suddenly I remember my time in Iraq, in the austere conditions in which we lived there and in how a pedicure was something banal but still Megan and I managed to at least once a month pamper us a little. A massage and a nail cut was our greatest luxury. Just remembering it makes me laugh loudly.

"What makes you laugh so much?" Tom asks me amused.

"Nothing is just that... I suddenly remembered my time in Iraq, all the time I spent without doing this".

Tom's soft smile motivates me to tell him more, to open up more to him. "After a year and a half tour my feet and Megan's, Owen's sister, were shattered with blisters, calluses and ingrown toenails that when we returned to the States we were so embarrassed to go to a nail salon that we tried to make our own pedicure ourselves". I laugh again when I remember how that ended.

"What?! What happened next? "Tom asks me truly interested.

"Blood! Blood everywhere!"

"What?! You handle all kinds of medical instruments and you were defeated by a nail clipper? I can't believe it, Altman!"

"In my defense it wasn't a nail clipper, it was this kind of callus shaver. Oh God, at the time we were both freaking out, there was so much blood! but now every time we remember it we bend of laughter".

"You and Hunt's sister are very close, aren't you?"

I smile at the thought of Megan. I love her so much. She is so excited about her new niece and that is one of the few things that make me feel good in the middle of all this baby drama.

"Yes we are. I had just lost my favorite person in the world and we were the only women in the whole troop during our first tour so our union and friendship was quite obvious and immediate. We did everything together, we protected each other, I defended her from Owen. Always together in that piece of hell in the middle of nowhere. We were together until the day she..." A lump form in my throat and I swallow it immediately to avoid bursting into tears right here. I try to think that this is in the past, that Megan is fine, that a couple of hours ago she sent me a message asking me about my health and about Allison. I think she is healthy, happy and with her family. She's alive. "Until the day she disappeared". I finish with a sad smile.

"Sisters stick together… So, what's your story, Altman?"

"My story?"

"Yes, your story. Why did you enlist in the army?"

I sigh heavily. "Because I was alone. My parents and my best friend, Allison, had died in the span of a year. I had no family or reasons to be in New York, so I decided to do something for others. Offer my help".

"You could've offered your help anywhere else. Why the army?"

I stop a second to think. "The truth is that I don't know. You know how things were in the country after September 11th. Everything was a chaos, I was devastated, I felt so weak that I thought the army would toughen me. Also, I didn't know what to do and joining the army was the easiest way to give a direction to my life... eventually in one way or another thanks to the army now I have my daughter". I say with a smile rubbing my baby bump. If I hadn't joined the army, I would never have met Owen.

"I knew you're an interesting woman. I'm sure you have a lot of stories to tell".

"I don't know if I'm that interesting but yes, I've lived and seen many things. Some that I wish I had never seen or lived but in the end they made me what I am now... And you? What's your story?"

This opening to him was so easy and everything flowed so naturally that it made me wonder why I was so reluctant to be his friend from the beginning. I always do the same, I resist, I am afraid to open up to people, to let them in and then lose them and I know that eventually I'll lose Tom too; he'll return to Baltimore and we'll be friends from a distance, he'll probably forget me and it really saddens me, this day is turning out to be all I needed and yes, I'm scared, I'm scared of losing this maybe even before I have it completely. But I'm trying to change. Stop being so wary and go crazy at the idea of the future. I'll enjoy this day, this moment, this new friendship while I have it.

"Oh I don't have a story as interesting as yours".

"Are you kidding me? Head of neurosurgery at Hopkins, I want to hear the story of how you got there. Do you have any idea how many times I dreamed of being hired by Hopkins?"

"If you still want I can move some threads and in less than you expect you can have a job there, as a chief of department, not the subordinated of a 19-year-old".

I laugh. "Well, thanks for the offer, I'll take it into consideration".

He huffs and looks at the ceiling thoughtfully. "My story... I'm divorced. I... my marriage fell apart and I did nothing to stop it until there was nothing left to rescue and I got divorced".

"Can I ask why?" He shifts in the armchair, my question making him uncomfortable. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to". I hurried to tell him when I notice how his silence extends and then we are both silent. He with his look lost and I extremely uncomfortable for having asked that question. You're a stupid Theodora. You don't ask people who you just met why they got divorced! I try to distract myself with the girl who is doing the pedicure, answering messages from Megan and Arizona and ignoring Owen's, as well as his calls.

"My son died". Tom says out of the blue and I froze. I turn to see him, but he isn't looking at me. I don't know what to answer, I don't know whether to tell him to keep talking or wait for him to do it. Then he turns his gaze to me and I can see the shadow of pain in his eyes. Unconsciously I hug my bump. "My son died a couple of years ago... he was ten years old and... he was hit in the head with a baseball bat and he died".

The grip around my baby bump grows tighter. To think that something like this could happen to my daughter kicked my overprotective maternal instincts to the fullest. I don't know what to answer to Tom. What is said in these circumstances? There are no words to respond to something like that! In the end I simply reach out my arm and give him a slight squeeze in the hand and a knowing look. Words are not necessary. He places his hand on mine, he knows how sorry I am.

The rest of the day we talked about more pleasant things, too much drama for our first day out. After the manicure and pedicure session we go to a small and cozy cafeteria to continue talking. As soon as night falls I feel extremely exhausted and I can't stop yawning.

"Ok lady. Time to take you home". Tom says after my fourth or fifth yawn I think.

I don't contradict him, I just smile and we both leave the place.

Despite being tired we don't stop talking all the way to my apartment.

"I swear it! He came back two days later asking to have the medication changed because the gummies weren't working for him!" I was telling Tom about that time when I was still an intern and I prescribed a patient suppositories and he thought it was oral medication. This made Tom laugh so hard that I think his laugh resonated throughout the building.

When we left the elevator we were still laughing like crazy until Tom came to a halt. Owen was outside my apartment with the cell phone in his ear. As soon as he saw me he hung up and put his phone in his jeans pocket, giving Tom a not-so-friendly look.

"Where were you?! I've been messaging and calling you all the damn day, you had me worried!" He tells me almost shouting.

"Hey, calm down!" Tom intervenes. "She was with me".

"Yes, I see that!" Owen spited back with an acid undertone.

The three of us stay in awkward silence for a few seconds until Tom clears his throat.

"Well, I think it's time for me to leave". And he turns to me. "I had a great day Altman. Whenever you want we can repeat it, I'm dying to hear more of your war stories and your days as an intern".

I laugh softly. "You can be sure that I'll take your offer pretty soon. I had a great day too. Thanks for everything Tom". And we say goodbye with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hunt". The nods to Owen, he turns around and goes down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

"Where were you?!" Owen asks me with this possessive tone of voice and I don't like it all.

"With Tom, didn't you see it?" I say as I struggle to find the right key to open the door.

"I ASKED WHERE?!"

"Hey, calm down!" He takes a deep breath and presses his fingers on the bridge of his nose trying to calm down. "Why are you acting like this?" He looks anxious and I can see how his emotions are bubbling inside him ready to burst.

"You told me you were tired and you wanted to rest. And you go out with him? I asked you to go out first!"

"Do you realize how immature you sound? Good evening, Owen". I say while I finally manage to open the door of my apartment. When I'm about to close the door he jams his foot and stops me from doing it.

"We need to talk".

I sigh, but I let him in. The sooner I know what is this all about the sooner he will go and leave me alone.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't like to see you with him". His confession takes me by surprise. There are not many times that Owen has seen me with Tom and in most of those times we are accompanied by more people, so why is he taking this attitude? I chuckle humorlessly.

"Why?! He's my friend and we are nothing Owen, you can't tell me with whom I can or can't hang out, even if we were something. I can go out with whoever I want, I have a life in case you hadn't noticed".

"Don't you realize?!"

"Of what? That you're acting like a spoiled child? Yes, I do realize!"

"I'M JEALOUS OK?!" He shouts at me and I'm astonished. Of all that I could hope for certainly this wasn't on the list. "I'm jealous". He repeats this time with a voice so soft that gives me goose bumps and everything inside me shakes.

I don't know what to think. I don't know if I believe him. "Don't do this, Owen, please".

"I'm being honest Teddy. I'm jealous, my blood boils every time I see that man near you. I want to rip his head off".

"You are not going to do that".

He doesn't say anything to me, but by his look I think he would be capable of do it. He is jealous. What am I supposed to feel? Flattered? These past few months had been so awkward around Owen that it never crossed my mind to think he felt anything for me to the point of making him jealous. Was that the reason for his strange behavior towards me?

"Teddy, I'm jealous and I'm jealous because I love you. And the idea of seeing another man with you makes me feel all sorts of things I've never felt for anyone else before".

"Owen, you're not jealous". I tell him softly. "Or at least it's not for me, you're scared that another man may be around your daughter, but you can be sure that no matter how many men come through my life you will always be Allison's dad, that will never change".

"What do you want me to do to show you that this is for you? I love you".

I laugh sadly. "It's very hard to believe you when you went to your ex after saying you loved me, don't you think? If it had been me, would you believe me?"

He looks at me with his crystalline blue eyes like water encased in crystal in a pleading way that makes my insides melt. "I know it's difficult but I only ask you to give me the opportunity to show it to you, to _really_ prove you wrong this time".

I feel the heat rising all over my body to my face. I don't know what to answer him. I'm scared. "I'm scared". Oh crap. Apparently not only I thought about it but I also said it out loud, with a trembling voice chocking a whimper.

He takes a few cautious steps towards me and grabs me by the waist so softly that I can barely feel the warmth of his fingertips.

"Let me send that fear away. Give me the chance to make it up to you, to show you that I have changed. I'm not the same as I was when you opened that door in Germany, Teddy. That night changed me forever, all the stupid things I did afterwards changed me forever. I want to be the best man for you, I want to be the best father for _our_ daughter... just let me show you".

"This time it's not just me Owen, anything you do will also hurt our daughter".

"I know, I know. And the last thing I want is to hurt any of you. I'm aware of how much I have hurt you and I don't know if one day I can forgive myself completely, but at least let me make it up to you". He brings me gently closer to his body, our breaths centimeters away the _only_ thing standing in _our_ way is my baby bump. "I'm willing to spend the rest of my life compensating you for each of the tears that I made you shed... please Teddy".

The fire within me fuels in seconds. I'm so scared, but at the same time I want to try. Both sides fight inside me, like devil and angel. " _Kick him out_ ", " _Give him a chance_ ". He wraps his arms around my waist placing the palms of his hands on my back, I place mine on his chest and gently I run the path up until I wrap my arms around his neck. I look him straight in the eyes, his eyes are no longer crystalline, they are dark, like the sea in fury in the middle of the storm. Dark with lust and this only made the fire burn inside me more. My heart starts to beat arrhythmical, I can feel it in my throat, my body shakes with expectation and arousal. My core about to explode. I desire him so much.

As soon as his fingertips make contact with the warm skin of my waist I lose it completely. I caught his lips with mine and I kiss him with all that repressed passion and he reciprocates. He takes the hem of my shirt lifting it and we're forced to cut the kiss to get rid of it. Then I do the same with his.

He takes me again between his huge, protective arms running his hands up and down my back. My hands go from his nape, to his torso directly to the buckle of his belt and while I fight with it he fights with the clasp of my bra. As soon as the skin of my breasts and my belly make contact with his huge, warm chest I throw all my fears on the floor, along with our shirts and my bra. I don't know if tomorrow I'll regret this. I don't know how long it will take me to trust him again, but I'll allow myself to enjoy this moment. After all, hormones are in control now.

* * *

 _ **THE END**_

* * *

 **Still thinking about writing a second part to this, Towen centered. Another two shot or a one shot maybe? Would you like to read a second part to this one?**

 **Let me know and also let me know what you think about this one. :)**

 **A/N: TODAY (** **Wednesday, America's time zone) NEW UPDATE OF "I BELIEVE IN FATE" :D**


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